FL FL - Isabella Hellmann, 41, catamaran off Cay Sal, SE of the FL Keys, 14 May 2017 #1 *GUILTY*

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Also whose jurisdiction does this fall under??

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"We had some questions about what the bureaus stepping in could mean, so we had a conversation with a former FBI supervisor.

He explains that the FBI has jurisdiction over crimes on the high seas. And he says their first priority will be getting to the shipwreck site.
"I bet they'd put it in the warehouse, if it were me, I would borrow space from Miami-Dade and get catamaran experts to look at it," said Jeff Danik.
Danik says The FBI is the agency that makes sense-- in terms of who has the capabilities and who could make an arrest if necessary-- when it comes to the strange disappearance of Isabella Helman. Danik says the FBI investigates accidents-- to learn the cause.
...
When we asked the Coast Guard whose responsibility is it to salvage the ship, the Coast Guard told us the owner, Mr. Bennett, But Danik says now the FBI would want to keep Bennett away from the ship.
To preserve it." (BBM)
http://cbs12.com/news/local/former-...s-involvement-in-hellmann-case-is-significant

This makes sense to me, but should probably be confirmed. The former FBI supervisor quoted in the article, Jeff Danik, should know what he is talking about, though:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1183dffl.html

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/crime/fl-miramar-vitamin-theft-20141125-story.html

 

[ninij9]

I have a 1 carat ring that I didn't wear when we traveled to Mexico or Europe. It didn't seem worth the risk. I hated being without it and I had a definite tan line where it usually sat though. I haven't looked at the pictures but if it's a big enough rock she maybe didn't want to wear it when she went out. Worried about it slipping off, attaching unwanted attention.. just some thoughts.

I'm also not convinced she was ever on the boat that night.

I never take my engagement/wedding rings out of the country, I wear costume jewelry, fwiw.

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[JerseyGirl]

Yeah, that evidence box sure is a mystery to me!

CBS 12 visited the apartment.

No one was home, but two boxes marked evidence were left on the front stoop-- one was open at the top, and we could see inside.

The item looked like a piece of inflatable marine equipment, possibly a life-vest.

The FBI says "no comment" as to what specifically its looking into.

http://cbs12.com/news/local/former-...s-involvement-in-hellmann-case-is-significant

 

[Mercedes]

http://www.thesun.ie/news/1061499/fbi-probing-british-man-who-claims-wife-disappeared-when-she-was-washed-overboard-from-their-honeymoon-boat-/

An article from The Irish Sun dated May 29, 2017, describes 38 year old Lewis Bennett as a "mining engineer" and as a Bangor University (Wales) graduate. The couple were said to be on a belated honeymoon. (An article in the U.K. Mirror lists Bennett as a 40 year old.)

Mods: if not allowed, please delete.

 

[Hiandmighty]

I do have questions about jurisdiction.

1) the boat was not US flagged
2) he is not a US citizen
3) she may or may not be a US citizen
4) the boat was not in US waters

She must be a citizen.

 

[JerseyGirl]

He bought the boat in 2013 in St. Maarten.

They sailed for 2 weeks on a delayed honeymoon with stops in St. Maarten and Havana, Cuba with a final destination of Boca Raton, Florida.

Where the boat originated from for this trip, I believe, hasn't been disclosed.

 

[LietKynes]

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/fbi-investigating-mysterious-caribbean-disappearance-111623308.html

So MB may be going to Cuba to help look for his wife ?
Is it true that Cuba doesn't have an extradition treaty with the U.S.
NOT saying there is foul play... just seems "off" the way this unfolded --- with her falling off and him not waking up until after... then being rescued in a life raft , after the catamaran overturned and partially sank ????
W,T, F ?

MOO

 

[ninij9]

The two things bothering me the most?
1. If he planned to off this beautiful wife and mother, how do you capsize a cat, on the ocean, all alone?

2. How could rescuers assume she wasn't under the hull? They knocked on it? Are you freaking kidding me? Ugh.

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[Hiandmighty]

I thought I read somewhere the boat was from Australia?

It didn't overturn and then partial sink. It partially sunk and then overturned. Boats are made to be buoyant, even with significant structural damage. The boat itself becomes a flotation device. You can cut a Boston Whaler boat in half and it will still float.

I agree it is possible her body could be in the boat, but it's
Doubtful imo.

 

[AuggiesMom23]

I'm also wondering if maybe something happened to the wife in a totally different location in the ocean, and he never called in anything until they were far enough away that he thought she'd never be found?

 

[LietKynes]

Why didn't they send divers to look underneath ?
Surely experienced divers could check it out ?

Remember the man (a cook, I think) ,who survived for three days in an air pocket underneath the water of an overturned boat ?
A diver discovered him.

 

[Beth11311]

Why didn't they send divers to look underneath ?
Surely experienced divers could check it out ?

Remember the man (a cook, I think) ,who survived for three days in an air pocket underneath the water of an overturned boat ?
A diver discovered him.

Yeah I'm feeling really shocked that they didn't explore the boat more. I wonder if he went back and claimed it....


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[LietKynes]

U.S. Coast Guard crews continued to search Tuesday. In 48 hours, the agency said, it’s searched an area of more than 3,400 square miles.

She was last seen Sunday night when the boat left Cuba.

Bennett told authorities he awoke at 1:30 a.m. Monday after the boat struck an object about 30 miles west of Cay Sal, the westernmost island in the Bahamas.

He said he came topside to find Hellman gone.

After Bennett transmitted a call for help, the Coast Guard found him in a raft about 1,000 yards from the catamaran, which was partially submerged.

The catamaran is upside down, floating in about 4,800 feet of water in an area that’s about 70 miles southeast of Key West and about 100 miles east-northeast of Havana. Divers have not yet gone inside it, which would be a dangerous proposition, but did bang on the hull and feel confident no one is alive in it.

It’s not in a shipping lane but noted the ocean has all sort of debris that a moving boat could strike without warning, especially in the dark.

The Coast Guard has marked the location of the boat and broadcast a “navigation hazard” warning. It ultimately will be up to the owner to remove it.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/l...gger-area-than-county/GKNsp1yIIdu2O3fVL929YO/

SABBM

Guess we should be thankful they banged on the hull.
I don't want to put any divers' lives in danger.
But my .02 is the the catamaran NEEDS to be looked at to see if it bashed into anything or has breakage/tears in the hull.
If it hit something and was damaged enough that it partially filled and overturned --- there would be evidence, I think.

Seems like this would be hard to fake--- but if you're desperate enough.
MOOOO

 

[LietKynes]

Yeah I'm feeling really shocked that they didn't explore the boat more. I wonder if he went back and claimed it....


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RSBM

Well if the cat. is claimed and dismantled... we'll never know if it hit anything or not.
*Feeling discouraged about this case... and this poor Isabella *

 

[Laughing]

I agree with that. However, we have to go back to: in cases of man/wife sailing teams, when one goes overboard during watch at night, 100% of the time it is either the husband or the wife who is presumed lost and never found.

You know?

This has happened before. I am trying to remember the last case I read about -- older couple.. I want to say off the coast of Africa... wife disappeared at night....never found... husband distraught... other sailors came to the area to help search. She was never found.

Odd one from a few years back, Jon Hemingway between the mainland & Nantucket:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Nantucket-17-March-2010-1&highlight=nantucket


Might ring some bells for readers here....

 

[frisson]

Can anyone tell us if she boarded the boat? for sure

 

[LietKynes]

Can anyone tell us if she boarded the boat? for sure

SABBM

Good point !
And here we are asking this question again--- WHO saw her last outside of immediate family ?
Like the case with Anna M.

 

[GigTu]

Can anyone tell us if she boarded the boat? for sure

No. They haven't disclosed proof of that yet.

 

[1&2&3]

I read he has a Temporary passport but he can't leave the country for a while. This was back a few pages.

Does anyone know how long he can be detained since the FBI is doing an investigation?

His quick response that he was going to Cuba, rent a boat, and do his own search is another way to say he plans on disappearing! JMO. His remark to the neighbor that he was returning to England, it was time to get on with his life, is just another sad statement that he had no love for Isabella. JMO. When this neighbor mentioned about taking the baby with him, again, his response seemed like a "oh, I forgot about her", but he said he would take her.

As I see it, this was a planned accident. This story has not met the smell test since we first heard it! I don't think it happened the way he has told it. She disappeared off the boat much farther out in the ocean than reported. He wanted no chances of her being found.

Not knowing this couple, their relationship, and background, my instinct is the baby was not in his plans. He did not want to live in the USA, she didn't want to move because of the baby. From the traveling they did, this slows done with a baby, different lifestyle.

My guess is Isabella at 41 saw her biological clock at the end of it's time frame, and got pregnant. She never dreamed the consequences that would face her, none of us would! Hopefully, with the marriage so new, husband had not been named beneficiary on any life insurance policies.

My opinions only.

 

[silverjug]

I am English and yes we are stoic but that remark he made was cold hearted.